Threadless interlocking coupling



July 15, 1941. A. E. NIELSEN 2,249,162

\ THREADLESS INTERLOCKING COUPLING Filed May 26, 1939 INVENTOR.

ADoLPH E. NIELSEN hea/v42 M .ZTTORNEY Patented July 15, 1941 r THREADLESS I TERLooKINGooUPLINo- Adolph E. Nielsen, Alameda, an. r Application May 26, 1939, serial No. 275,784

3 Claims. (or. 287- 111;)

This application is a continuation in part of my pending application entitled 'Ihreadless interlocking coupling, filed March 27, 1937, and bearing Serial No. 133,458.

The invention relates generally to threadless couplings and is more particularly directed to' an improved coupling of this character especially adaptable for joining rod or shaft sections in a manner to transmit great compression, tension and torsionstrains. v g

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a threadless rod or shaft coupling which may be easily and quickly assembled and and disassembled; which, when assembled, will.

provide a rigid clutch connection preventing relative rotation and endwise movements orthe ad-" 'jacent sections; which will take upforwear of the component parts; and which will automatically compensate for radial contraction incident.

to elongation or stretch of the interlocking parts caused by heavy tension loads.

The invention is exemplified in the following description andillustrated byway of example in the accompany drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a coupling embodying the, features of the present invention, and illustrating therewith. a tool suitable for use in assembling or disassembling the coupling.

Fig. 2 is a disrupted elevation showing the several parts positioned ready for assembly. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1 and illustrating .a tool adaptable for use in expanding the coupling spring. a

V Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line VV of Fig. 1. V The specific embodiment shown in the drawing joining the adjacent ends of. sucker rod lengths comprising the sucker rodof a deep well pump such as is employed for pumping an oil well.

It is a common practice to connect sucker rod lengths by means of pin and box screw-threaded connections, and it is common knowledge in the oil industry that suchscrew-threaded connections do frequently become unscrewed, and in very deep wells are often pulled apart by the heavy loads to which they are subjected. Various factors contribute to such sucker rod failure in deep oil wells. Obviously the uppermost joint of a sucker rod string must support the weight of the entire 40 is one which is particularly adaptable for use in 1 weight it supports.

string while each successive lower joint supports only the weight of thatp'ortion of the string which depends below it, each joint thus being subjected to'a stretching tension dependent upon its longitudinal position in the string. Therefore, since each joint supports a dififerent rod weight, each joint will, throughout both the upwardpumping stroke and the return idle stroke, be stretched to a degree proportional to the rod In addition to this variable stretching of the several rod joints dueto the weight of-the rod itself, there is an added stretching of the sucker rodwhich 'is' due tothe production load or the weight of the fluid column lifted by the pump plunger'and'which is exerted on the sucker rod string only on the upward pumping stroke, the sucker-irod string being relieved of this production'load'upon the return stroke during which the fluid column is supported by thestanding value of the pump and the pump plunger returns idlythrough the fluid to again pick up the fluid column forthe succeeding pumping stroke.

Under these conditions there is a constant rod stretch variable throughout the length of the rod string and due to the rod weight, and a periodically added uniform rod stretch which is due to the production load and is effective only during the pumping stroke.

- It is well known that the total stretch of a sucker rod employed the pumping of a deep well may amount to as much as several feet. This can be readily understood considering the facts thata three thousand foot string of seveneighth s inch sucker rod weighs in excess of three and a half tons and that the production load of thirty degrees Baum oil one. three and one-quarter inch pump at this depth is in .ex

class or four and a half tons, making a total load of over eight tons,

As the production load is picked upv at the beginning of each pumping stroke and is released at the end of each pumping stroke, there is a periodic loading and unloading of the sucker rod string which will cause said string to stretch and I contract in concordance with the stroke rate of the pump.

Such periodic stretching and contracting of a' sucker rod, which may have a frequency of from thirty to sixty times per minute, is recognized as being a major causeof the loosening and stripping of screw-threaded sucker, rod joints or coup s- For these and for other reasons it has long been considered desirable by those skilled in the oil producing industry to provide a sucker rod joint or coupling which will maintain a perfectly tight connection between adjacent rod lengths and will not become loosened by the substantially continuous stretching and contracting of the sucker rod string incident to the pumping operation, and which can be easily and quickly connected or disconnected.

The present invention provides a tight connection of-the desired character which will support exceptionally heavy loads without pulling apart and which will also automatically take up for wear and for radial contraction due to elongation or stretch of the interlocking parts.

In the embodiment disclosed'lin lthe drawing, A designates the lower portion of an upper rod section and B designates the upper portion of an adjacent lower rod section. C and D designate opposed duplicate coupling members axially-extended from the respective rod sections and formed integral therewith 'or rigidly connected theretoin any suitable manner. Each of these opposed coupling members is formed togprovide a head It! tapered axially and inwardly from its outer end' and-a shank H -which is of-reduced diameter to provide an intermediate .abutment shoulder 12 and is also tapered axiallyand inwardly from saidshoulder. The respective-heads l and shanks II are preferably substantially square in cross section to provide groups of angularly related faces -|3 and I4 and intermediate flattened corners -|5. The adjacent endfaces of the'coupling members C and D are flat soas to fit each other when the rod sections are brought together in'abutting engagement.

Surrounding the abutting coupling members 0 and D are the two half sections of along'itudinally split couplingsleeve l6 providing-alongitudinal bore having internal walls contoured to closely fit the angularly related facesand abut ment shoulders of the coupling members-'of-two rod sections, the adjacent half sections when engaged with-the headed-coupling members being slightly separated from each other .so as .to at all times bear directly-upon said-coupling .members.

The coupling sleeve 16 graduallytapers-from one end to the other, and for the purpose .of clamping its two sections tightlyupon the abutting coupling members-C and,D of the adjacent rod sections, there is providedan outerretaining and clamping sleeve l1.havinga borelongitudinally tapered tov a degree corresponding to the tapered-outer surface -.of the-coupling sleeve 16 and of adiameter-to snugly 'fit upon said coupling sleeve.

For the purpose of retainingthe'two half .sections of the split coupling sleeve [6 on oneof the headed coupling members prior :to their engagement by the companion coupling.member,..said.

coupling sleeve is, nearone end, provided with an external groove I8 in which is disposed .a contractile split ring l9 that yieldingly retains the two half sections onsaid coupling member in a manner permitting separation of .the opposite ends thereof for longitudinal insertion of the coupling member of the adjacent rod section.

One of therod sections, the upper rodsection A of the present embodiment, has an enlargement 20 adjacent the shank H of its couplingmember C, the diameter of such enlargement being somewhat less'than the smallest internal diameter of the'retaining sleeve I1, and at the upper endof said enlargement the rod section has an external bead 2| providing a spring seat, the external diameter of said head being slightly less than the smallest internal diameter of the outer retaining sleeve so that said retaining sleeve may pass over both the enlargement 20 and the bead 2|.

A coil spring 22 surrounds the enlargement 20 and bears against the spring seat formed by the bead 2|, the opposite end of said spring engaging the upper adjacent end of the outer sleeve l1 and being centrally retained thereon by an annular lip 23 formed .on-said sleeve.

The opposed rod section, the lower rod section B of the present embodiment, has a shorter enlargement 24, similar in diameter to the enlargement 20 of the rod section A, and below this senIargementZ'Z-I 'the rod section B is provided with stantly exerts .a :powerful downward pressure upon the outer tapered retaining or clamping sleeve 11 totightly clamp the twohalf sections of thecoupling sleeve l6 upon the two abutting headed coupling members of the adjacent .rod sections. In forming this spring, the convolutions are wound to a slightly helical .form, the upper flat coil being formed by bending-the wire in reverse direction to .provide a relatively short bend 26 spaced a short distance from the uppe terminal end thereof, as -shown in.Fig..2.

The reason thisis done isthatthe spring must be passed longitudinallyover the bead 2|, both inassembling and .in disassembling -,the coupling, and while the lower larger .portion of -the.spring may easily pass over said bead, the-uppersmaller coil must be spread .to enlarge its diameter before it can do so. The-bend.2B and theadjacentend of the spring wire providetwo opposed abutments' between which may be-inserted .the opposed jaws of a pair of spreader pliers (asillustrated in-Fig. 3) which may be used in expandingsaidspring.

A suitable tool 2'lvmay be used for driving the sleeve onto or off the .couplingsleeve .ISand' includes a U-shape head provided-witha handle and adapted to be engaged either upon the enlargement 20, before the spring 22 is applied thereto,.and along with force to drive the outer sleeve H onto the split clampingls'leeve |6,.or upon the enlargement and .slid along with force .to drive said outersleeve I'loffsaid split sleeve l6.

To connect two adjacent rod sections'by means of a coupling or joint of the abovecharactenthe parts are conditioned asshownin Fig.2, the free ends of the two half sections of the clamping sleeve IB being suitablyspread-apart to permit insertion therein 01 the coupling .-member .13 of the lower rodsection-B. The two couplingzmembers -.C and I) being *broughtiinto abuttingrelationship withinthe split coupling sleeve t6, the

the spring, to position said spring asshownfi-in tion of the coupling members may be employed,

and while the members C and D have been referred to as coupling members and the split sleeve as a coupling sleeve, said members are in fact clutch elements and said sleeve is in fact a clutch sleeve which cooperates with said clutch elements to prevent relative rotation of the two rod sections.

In the pumping of deep wells, it is very important that any tendency of one rod section to rotate relative to the adjacent rod sections must be prevented because of the fact that ability to rotate denotes play between the parts, and play between the parts occasions severe vibration, particularly at each end of every pump stroke as the pumping string is loaded and unloaded and as the pumping string comes to rest and its direction of travel is reversed. Nearly all deep wells are crooked, a perfectly plumb well being the exception rather than the rule, and it is due to the more or less wavy nature of a long pumping string that a torsional strain is ordinarily exerted on the sucker rod of a deep well. Further, it is important that longitudinal play between the parts of the rod string must be eliminated. In fact, since play of any kind or degree will cause vibrations of such nature as to cause crystallization and failure of the parts, it becomes vital that the parts comprising the rod couplings or joints be and remain, while in service, so tightly clamped together as to eliminate all chance of relative vibration or chatter.

In the coupling construction of the present invention, this is effectively accomplished by reason of the tapered angular cooperating surfaces of the two rod members and the split sleeve and the clamping function of the tapered retaining sleeve which under the driving influence of the heavy compression spring will be maintained in tight clamping engagement with the split clutch sleeve to force its two half sections to tight gripping engagement with the two coupling members or clutch elements of the adjacent rod sections, this arrangement being effective for taking up for wear of the respective parts.

Not only will the spring take up for wear of the parts, but it will also compensate for longitudinal stretch thereof, it being evident that coincident with stretch of the headed coupling members C and D and a consequent reduction in their cross sectional area, the axial driving force of the spring will be exerted to further translate the outer clamping sleeve and compress the two half sections of the split sleeve upon the transversely contracted coupling members. Thus, the spring functions to take up for wear of the parts and provides a means for automatically compensating for axial stretch of the connected rod sections in a manner to maintain a tight rigid connection.

While the present invention is herein disclosed in a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coupling comprising headed coupling members adapted to be axially aligned in opposed relationship and having angularly related clutch faces, a coupling sleeve comprising opposed half sections each adapted to interlockingly embrace said coupling members and each having angularly related internal wall surfaces to match the angularly related clutch faces of said coupling members, contractile means tending to maintain said half sections in assembled relationship, and means for rigidly clamping said half sections on said coupling members.

2. A coupling for connecting two adjacent rod sections and comprising headed coupling members projecting axially from the respective rod sections and adapted to beaxially aligned in opposed relationship, said members having angularly related faces, a longitudinally split coupling sleeve adapted to embrace said coupling members and having angularly related internal wall surfaces to match the angularly related faces of said coupling members and a gradually longitudinally tapered exterior surface, an outer clamping sleeve surrounding said split sleeve and having a gradually longitudinally tapered internal wall surface engaging the tapered exterior surface of said split sleeve and adapted for axial translation to rigidly clamp said split sleeve on said coupling members, one of said rod sections having an external bead providing a spring seat spaced from an end of said outer clamping sleeve, and a helical compression spring adapted to engage said spring seat and the adja- 7 cent end of said clamping sleeve and exert a translating tension on said sleeve.

3. A coupling for connecting two adjacent rod sections and comprising headed coupling members projecting axially from the respective rod sections and adapted to be axially aligned in 010-.

posed relationship, said members having angularly related faces, a longitudinally split coupling sleeve adapted to embrace said coupling members and having angularly related internal wall surfaces to match the angularly related faces of said coupling members and a gradually longitudinally tapered exterior surface, an outer clamping sleeve surrounding said split sleeve and having a gradually longitudinally tapered internal wall surface engaging the tapered exterior surface of said split sleeve and adapted for axial translation to rigidly clamp said split sleeve on said coupling members, one of said rod sections having an external bead providing a spring seat spaced from an end of said outer clamping sleeve, and a helical compression spring adapted to engage said spring seat and the ad- I jacent end of said clamping sleeve and exert a translating tension on said sleeve, said spring having an end coil formed by bending the spring wire in a reverse helical direction to provide a relatively short bend and then circularly to within a short distance from said short bend to provide opposed abutments between which a spreading tool may be inserted to expand said end coil sufiiciently for passage over said bead.

ADOLPH E. NIELSEN. 

